Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method operable within a wireless access point (WAP) for improving communications when encountering aggressive communications, comprising: establishing a link between a first user equipment (UE) and the wireless access point in a first unlicensed network via a contention based mode that directs the WAP to share radio frequency spectrum with other WAPs; querying at least the first UE to determine aggressive radio frequency (RF) band activity by a second unlicensed communication system in range of the WAP; determining that the aggressive RF band activity by the second unlicensed communication system is interferinq with communication between the first UE and the WAP; based on the determination, directing the WAP to switch to a contention free mode to communicate with the first UE in contention free mode; and directing the UEs to report back the number of one or more UEs in vicinity of the WAP and the second unlicensed communication system.
This invention relates to wireless communication systems, specifically addressing interference issues in unlicensed spectrum environments where multiple systems compete for the same radio frequency (RF) bands. The problem arises when aggressive communication systems, such as other wireless access points (WAPs) or devices, disrupt ongoing transmissions between a user equipment (UE) and a WAP operating in a contention-based mode, where the WAP shares the spectrum with neighboring systems. The method operates within a WAP to mitigate such interference. It begins by establishing a link between a UE and the WAP in an unlicensed network using a contention-based mode, where the WAP must contend for spectrum access. The WAP then queries the UE to detect aggressive RF activity from a second unlicensed communication system within range. If the WAP determines that this activity is interfering with its communication with the UE, it switches to a contention-free mode, allowing exclusive access to the spectrum for a period. Additionally, the WAP directs UEs to report the number of nearby UEs and the presence of the interfering system, enabling better coordination and interference management. This approach improves communication reliability in crowded unlicensed bands by dynamically adapting to interference conditions.
2. A method operable within a wireless access point (WAP) for improving communications when encountering aggressive communications, comprising: establishing a link between a first user equipment (UE) and the wireless access point in a first unlicensed network via a contention based mode that directs the WAP to share radio frequency spectrum with other WAPs; querying at least the first UE to determine aggressive radio frequency (RF) band activity by a second unlicensed communication system in range of the WAP; determining that the aggressive RF band activity by the second unlicensed communication system is interfering with communication between the first UE and the WAP; based on the determination, directinq the WAP to switch to a contention free mode to communicate with the first UE in contention free mode; and detecting a 3GPP protocol related capability of a UE when the UE attempts to connect to the WAP; and determining the number of one or more UEs in vicinity of the WAP and the second unlicensed communication system.
This invention relates to wireless communication systems, specifically addressing interference issues in unlicensed spectrum environments. The method operates within a wireless access point (WAP) to improve communication reliability when encountering aggressive interference from other unlicensed communication systems. The WAP initially establishes a link with a user equipment (UE) in a contention-based mode, where the WAP shares radio frequency spectrum with other WAPs. The WAP then queries the UE to detect aggressive radio frequency activity from a second unlicensed communication system within range. If interference is detected, the WAP switches to a contention-free mode to communicate with the UE, reducing interference. Additionally, the WAP detects the 3GPP protocol capabilities of UEs attempting to connect and determines the number of UEs in the vicinity of both the WAP and the interfering system. This allows the WAP to dynamically adjust communication strategies to mitigate interference and maintain stable connections in shared spectrum environments. The method enhances communication reliability by intelligently switching between contention-based and contention-free modes based on detected interference and UE capabilities.
3. A method operable within a wireless access point (WAP) for improving communications when encounterinq aggressive communications, comprising: establishing a link between a first user equipment (UE) and the wireless access point in a first unlicensed network via a contention based mode that directs the WAP to share radio frequency spectrum with other WAPs; querying at least the first UE to determine aggressive radio frequency (RF) band activity by a second unlicensed communication system in range of the WAP; determining that the aggressive RF band activity by the second unlicensed communication system is interferinq with communication between the first UE and the WAP; based on the determination, directinq the WAP to switch to a contention free mode to communicate with the first UE in contention free mode; directing the UE to operate in the contention free mode in response to switching to the contention free mode; and altering an unused bit in a MAC header to direct the UE to operate in the contention free mode.
A wireless access point (WAP) method improves communication reliability in unlicensed spectrum by mitigating interference from aggressive radio frequency (RF) activity. The method operates in a first unlicensed network where the WAP shares RF spectrum with other WAPs using a contention-based mode. The WAP establishes a link with a first user equipment (UE) in this mode. To detect interference, the WAP queries the first UE to identify aggressive RF band activity from a second unlicensed communication system within range. If the second system's activity disrupts communication between the first UE and the WAP, the WAP switches from contention-based to contention-free mode. The UE is then directed to operate in contention-free mode, ensuring uninterrupted communication. The WAP alters an unused bit in the MAC header to signal the UE to adopt the contention-free mode. This approach dynamically adapts to interference, maintaining stable communication in shared unlicensed spectrum environments.
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June 2, 2020
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